A section of the Bruce Vento Regional Trail beneath East Seventh Street in St. Paul will close indefinitely beginning Wednesday after officials identified a risk of falling debris from the historic Seventh Street Improvement Arches.
The closure affects the trail segment that passes through the stone arch tunnel beneath East Seventh Street, according to a press release from the city. The closure is indefinite while engineers evaluate the structure and determine what repairs or temporary measures may be needed.
The Bruce Vento Regional Trail is a key route for pedestrians and bicyclists traveling through the city’s East Side, providing access to Swede Hollow Park, Waḳaƞ Ṭípi and connections to other regional trails.
A signed detour will direct trail users along Payne Avenue and East Beaumont Street.
City Engineer Nick Peterson said in a statement that officials recognize the closure will disrupt travel and recreation but said safety is the priority.
The Seventh Street Improvement Arches were built in 1884 and are considered one of Minnesota’s more significant historic engineering structures. The arches, built mostly out of locally quarried limestone, are one of the few remaining examples of their type in the United States, and the only in Minnesota.